Improvement in fire-place grates



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J. OLD.

FIRE-PLACE GRATE.

Patented Nov. 7,1876.

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WITNESSES ZSheets-Sheet Z. J. OLD.

FIRE-PLACE G RATE.

$11 184,017. Patpnted Nov. 7,1876.

WYTNESSES INVEJVTOR I UNITED STATES PATENT Fri.

JAMES OLD, OF ALLEGHENY, PENNSYLVANIA.

IMPROVEMENT IN FIRE-PLACE GRATES.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 184,0] 7, datedNovember 7, 1876; application filed February 23, 1876.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that 1, JAMES OLD, of the city ofAllegheny, county of Allegheny, and State of Pennsylvania, have inventedcertain Improvements in Grates, &c., of which the following is aspecification:

The first part of this invention relates to an improvement in theconstruction of fronts for grate-baskets; and it consists of afrontcomposed of two or three parts, the inner one of, which is the front ofthe basket proper, while the outer one forms an ornamental front, andthe middle one serves as a protection for the ornamental front, and canalso be used as damper.

The second part of the invention relates to improvements in theconstruction of fire-places and stoves the objects of which are, toeconomize the consumption of fuel by causing a more perfect combustionthereof, and also by effecting the combustion (more or less entire) ofthe gases and smoke arising from the burning fuel; and, further, toreduce the loss of heat occasioned by the escape thereof up the chimney.

In the drawings forming part of this specification, Figure lis alongitudinal section of a fire-place. Fig. 2 is the ornamental front ofthe grate. Fig. 3 is a bottom plan of the fireplace. Fig. 4 is a frontelevation of the fire, place and Fig. 5 is a vertical cross-section ofthe fire-place.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all thefigures.

Referring to the drawings, A represents the inner front of thegrate-basket, constructed in the usual manner. B is the ornamental orouter front, and O is the middle plate. The front B may be made of anyhighly-polished metal, cold-rolled iron; or it may be made of iron orother metal, and plated. The front B is provided with a lip,a, by meansof which it is hung on the front A, as shown in Fig. 2. If desirable,however, it may be provided with hooks, and hung to the front of thefire-place. The fuel and fire are prevented from coming in contact withthe ornamental front by the inner front A, and thus it is preserved frominjury or defacement and thus a handsomematerial may be used, and ahighly-ornamental appearance be given to the grate. As a furto theornamental front, the middle plate may be used as a regulator for thedraft, and it may be arranged to slide to the right or left, by dividingit :vertically in the center, and

confining it in suitable ways. In connection with a grate-basket of thisdescription I make use of a summer front for the fire-place. This summerfront is used to cover the open fireplace above the grate-basket, and isplaced in position after the removal of the outer ornamental front. Itis supported by flanges on its inner side, which rest on the bars of theinner front, while the ornamental front is hung to supports affixed tothe outer side of the summer front. The unsightliness of the ordi- .naryfire-place is thus got rid of, and in place of it a fire-place and grateare obtained which are highly ornamental and tasteful.

A A are the side walls of the fire-place. B is the rear wall. 0' is thetop, and D is the frame or foundation, on which the walls rest. The sideand rear walls are of fire-brick or metal, and they are provided withthe vertical air-ducts 0/ a, 860., which lead from the ash-pit(represented by b) to the firechamber 0. Through these ducts air isconducted from the ash-pit to the body of the fuel on the sides andrear, and thus a draft is caused to reach every part of the fire, andthe result is, that accumulations of unburned fuel on the grate areprevented. Another advantage of these ducts is, that a draft of airheated to a moderate degree is delivered from them above the fuel, andinjected into the gases and smoke arising from the fire, supportingtheir combustion in the heat-chambers presently described. E is thepartition-wall, supported'in front on the grate-basket, and at the backby legs, or by a recess in the rear wall of the fire-chamber. Thispartition divides the fire-chamber into two parts, F F, and it reachesfrom the deflecting tile e as far down below the fuel-level as may benecessary. It is arranged so as to be readily removed when desired, orfor the purpose of converting the double fire-chamber into one.

A sliding door supported by flanges on the front of the grate-basket,and extending from the deflecting tile nearly to the hearth, andsufficiently wide to cover one of the chambers F F is used for thepurpose of closing one of the fire-chambers. It is arranged to slide tothe right and left, and covers the fire-chambers like a blower.

H is a heat-chamber, situated backof the fire-chamber, and extending thewhole length thereof. It communicates with the fire-chamber F F throughopenings g g, 8tc. The fire heats the chamber H to a high degree, sothat smoke and gaseous products of combustion passing through it areconsumed by the intense heat to which they are subjected.

The effect is produced by the following arrangement: When thefire-chamberFis closed, by the sliding door or blower before mentioned,the direct draft of this chamber to the chimney is cut off, while thedraft of the chamber F is left open. The draft of the chamber F is thenturned through the heat-chamber H, passing through the openings g, andafter traversing the heat-chamber emerge through the openings g into theopen fire-chamber F. The products of combustion are thus caused to passfrom the chamber]? through the heatchamber, and thus the gases and smokeare almost if not entirely consumed. A supply of air, to mix with thesmoke and gases, is conveyed by the ducts a, or from openings in thepartition-wall E.

In addition to the advantage derived from the arrangement hereindescribed, as a mode of effecting the combustion of the smoke and gases,are the additional ones of furnishing greater radiating and reflectingsurface, enablin g heat, from the open fire-place, to be used in a roomor apartment above by placing a'coil of pipe in the heat-chamber tosupply heated air above in the usual manner; also, enabling the fires inthe two chambers to be properly regulated.

1n the construction of the heat chamber H it may be either single ordouble, and it may be subdivided into several zigzag flues to givegreater length .to the draft from the'closed chamber or it may beconstructed in Flemish course, or with bridges to interrupt the directcourse of the draft, and expose the gases and smoke to the large extentof brightly-heated walls, 800.

I is a damper resting on the deflecting-tile e, which can be movedbackward and forward by a flange on its front edge.

By means of this damper the opening to the chimney-flue can becontracted or expanded, according as it is desired to have a strong orweak draft, and thus the escape of heat up the chimney can be regulated.It also serves to close the opening when there is no fire to preventsoot, dust, 8m, from falling on the hearth.

J is a plate, secured to the inner side of the arch of the front K,which protects the front immediately over the fire, where it is mostexposed to the heat, and thus preserves the enamel from cracking.Between the plate and the front is an air-space.

Mirrors i are placed in the front K, either on the sides or in the arch,as may be desired. Polished mica plates maybe substituted for the glassmirrors.

The frame D is made of cast-iron in separate pieces, or in a singlecasting. It is supplied with opcnings j, corresponding in number andposition with the air-ducts 61/, thus enabling the air to passinto theducts without interruption. The frame serves as the foundation ofthe-fireplaces. It has flanges cast on its upper sides, and the wallsare built up from it, being held firmly in position without anyliability to become displaced by the sinking of the surrounding walls,or from other causes. The arrangemements for fire-places hereindescribed are equally applicable to stoves.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, anddesire tosecure by Letters Patent, is

'1. A grate-basket, the front of which is composed of the parts A B, theouter one of which is made of cold-rolled iron or any polished or platedmetal-of an ornamental character, substantially as and for the purposede scribed.

2. In combination with the fronts AB, the middle plate 0, substantiallyas and for the purpose described.

3. The air-passages a a, &c., in the side and rear walls of thefire-place, in combination with the double fire-chambers F F, theopenings y g, and the heat-chamber H, substantially as described. 1

4. The heat-chamber H, in combination with the fire-chambers F F,communicating with each other through the medium of the openings g g,substantially as described.

5. The division or partition wall E, in combination with theheat-chamber H and a slidin g door or blower, substantially asdescribed.

6. The frame D, provided with openings j, in combination with the sideand rear walls of the fire-place and the air-passages a a, substantiallyas described.

JAMES OLD.

Witnesses:

SAMUEL ANDERSON, HARRY 0. OLD.

